Football is a game in which two opposing teams of 11 players each defend goals at opposite ends of a field having goalposts at each end, with points being scored chiefly by carrying the ball across the opponent's goal line and by place-kicking or drop-kicking the ball over the crossbar between the opponent's goalposts. The football goalposts typically consist of a vertical support member inserted into the ground of the field, with the vertical member transitioning into a horizontal support member, with this portion of the goalpost called a gooseneck. A crossbar is attached at its midpoint to the end of the horizontal portion of the gooseneck, and at each end of the crossbar are attached a horizontal upright member. Field goals and extra points are scored in football by kicking the ball between the two uprights, and over the crossbar.
It is important for the goalpost to fulfill the specification of the football league in which the goalpost will be used. These specifications include definition of the size of the goalpost, including height and width, and also the alignment of the goalpost uprights relative to the geometry of the playing field. The geometry includes the height of the crossbar, the width of the space between the uprights of the goalpost, and the verticality of the uprights relative to the perpendicular football field plane.
A problem arises when the same playing field is to be used by different leagues. This is commonly the case when there is a high school league game using the same field on which college games are played. Because a typical high school league uses an upright width of 23 feet and 4 inches, while typical college leagues use an upright width of 18 feet and 6 inches, goalposts which uprights have the appropriate width must be used. A convenient solution is here presented by the present invention in which goalposts with adjustable spacing of the uprights is provided. As a result, a single goalpost assembly can be changed from one configuration to another, easily and simply.
Another problem has to do with the ability to adjust the upright verticality, the angle relative to the perpendicular football field plane, after the sleeve supporting the crossbar has been installed in the ground. The present invention has a built-in capability to adjust the uprights vertically by rotating them about the horizontal axis at the connection with the crossbar.